Carbon paste electrode-based electroanalytical method for electrochemical fingerprinting of flavored agave syrups

This study explores the use of a carbon paste electrode (CPE)-based electroanalytical method combined with Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) as a fast and low-cost approach for obtaining interpretable electrochemical fingerprints of flavored agave syrups. For this purpose, a CPE modified with activated carbon from agave bagasse was prepared, and five commercial syrups were analyzed: plain, hazelnut, caramel, strawberry, and Irish cream. The voltammetric profiles obtained revealed three well-defined oxidation signals that could be systematically associated with chemically relevant sensory attributes: reducing sugars (P₁, sweet note), aromatic phenolic compounds (P₂, nutty note), and carbonyl compounds (P₃, fruity note). The relationship between the sensory attributes and electrochemical responses was supported by voltammetric studies using representative model compounds, including glucose, quercetin, vanillin, and acetaldehyde. Additional tests with common additives, such as citric and tartaric acid, confirmed minimal interference with the electrochemical signals associated with flavor-relevant redox processes. Finally, a triangular representation based on normalized peak currents enabled clear differentiation among the analyzed syrup varieties, demonstrating the capability of the proposed methodology to convert qualitative sensory perception into quantitative and chemically interpretable electrochemical descriptors. This electroanalytical approach provides a robust framework for the objective characterization of flavored food matrices.